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Chapter Nine
“I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it.”
—Mae West
“So, how long has this virgin sacrifice thing been going on?”
Ere was holding court amongst the centaur troops in the open space of the largest stable. That was the only description that came to Divina’s mind—holding court.
Though the male was obviously not a warrior, and he had a tendency to play the clown, never serious, ever sarcastic, there was something innately regal and commanding about him. As a dragon herself, Divina knew that Ere was also dragonkind.
She’d also heard whispers amongst thexian nüin the Celestial Realm about the magnificent black dragon who defeated the Dark Goddess with his phoenix mate, Sorin. She’d never seen his dragon form, but when he commanded everyone’s attention like this so effortlessly, she felt the draw of his undeniable charisma.
They were all seated on the straw-covered floor of the stable, the centaurs with their legs and hooves tucked beneath their bodies, the humans sitting on their butts.
Divina demurely folded her legs beneath her so nothing untoward was showing, given her lack of underthings. She tried to make herself invisible between Ere and Sorin, who insisted on sitting like her personal protectors on either side, sandwiching her in the middle. With Chewie lying like a guard lion in front of her, and the stone wall at her back, she was almost literally invisible.
Even so, she knew that every single pair of centaur eyes roved over her.
Some with mere curiosity. Others with undisguised interest. And a few with naked lust. She was the only female amongst all these testosterone-charged males, after all. She knew the effect she was having on them.
The only thing that kept any of the males from aggressively approaching her was Andros. Despite Divina’s protectors in Sorin, Ere and Chewie, it was their alpha’s intense warning glare and flaring nostrils that kept the other centaurs at bay.
While Divina was supremely confident in her own attraction, she knew it wasn’t just that. These man-beasts were obviously not getting enough satisfaction at home.
She thought about ways to change that while the males discussed the best course of action. Not involving herself, of course. But maybe those virgins…some of the women were her friends. Maybe if she reasoned with them…
“Centuries,” the spokesperson of the troop answered.
Divina learned that his name was Chiron. He was one of the largest centaurs in the group, but still not as large as Andros. Despite his size and hairiness, however, Chiron somehow looked more refined than his brethren. Perhaps it was the keen intelligence in his eyes.
Or perhaps it was because he was the only one thus far to speak with words rather than snorts and huffs.
“It has always been thus, since the beginning. We protect the humans in these lands from monsters more bloodthirsty than us, in exchange for the females to bear our offspring.”
“What about the story that, a long time ago, the human king stole the centaurs’ Horn of Plenty, and the centaurs retaliated by stealing the women?”
Chiron considered this.
Divina noticed that only Andros and Chiron paused to think before they spoke. Well, they were the only two centaurs who’d spoken thus far.
“It is possible that happened, but if it did, it was well before my time. I am only two hundred thirty years old.”
Ere blinked.
“Wow, still a babe then.”
Chiron tilted his head at the male.
“You are strange for a human. I cannot tell if you mean what you say.”
“Just assume I’m not serious ninety percent of the time and pay close attention the other ten percent.”
“I do not understand this ‘percent’ of which you speak.”
Ere sighed beneath his breath. Divina felt the subtle shift of his chest beside her, or she would not have noticed otherwise.
“Never mind. Ignore me when I say things you don’t understand. Just a quirk of being where I’m from.”
